Fire-escape



] (No Model.)

J. E. DAVIS FIRE ESGAPE.

No. 271,429. Patented Jan.30, 188 1 Z, /r I z I a 7- k;- 7 2:1. {ii x7 ATTOBNBYS- n PETERS. Waking n. c.

. UNKTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JARVIS E. DAVIS, OF UNION, OREGON.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,429, datedJ'anuary 30, 1883,

Application filed May 27, 1882. (No model.)

1' 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JARVIS E. DAVIS, of Union, in the county of Union and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improvement. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectionalplau View of a part of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a part of the same.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the escape of people from burning buildings when the ordinary egress-passages become impassible.

The invention consists in a fire-escape constructed with a truck having attached to it a base-frame provided with upright rods connected at their upper ends in pairs by crossbars. Upon the upright rods slide bearings attached to the corners of a canvas-covered frame, which is held up by springs connected with the said base and top frames, and with interposed sliding side bars. The top frame is held from rebounding by, ratchetbars and spring-pressed pawls, which can be withdrawn to allow the top frame to be raised by the supporting-springs by arms attached to upright rack-bars,connected byleversandarod,whereby both pawls can be withdrawn at the same time, as will be hereiuafter fully described.

A represents an ordinary truck, upon which the apparatus is mounted, and which is pro vided with a tongue, B, or a tongue and drag rope, for drawing the apparatus from place to place.

To the truck A is attached the base-frame C, springs beinginterposed,ifdesired. Theframe O can be made of an y desired length and breadth, and to its four corners are attached the lower ends of four rods, D. The end rods, D, are connected at their upper ends by cross-bars E.

Upon the upper parts of the four rods D are placed four bearings, F, which are attached to the corners of a frame, G, and which are made long to prevent them from binding upon the rods D as the frame G moves up and down.

Between the side bars of the frames 0 and G are interposed three (more or less) bars, H,

which have bearings formed in or attached to their ends to receive and slide upon the rods D. The side bars, H, are separated from each other and from the side bars of the frames 0 G by spiral or other shaped springs, I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The frame G is covered with canvas, J, or other suitable material, and may also have a mattress or cushion, K, secured to it.

To the cross-bars-H, next below the frame G, is attached a netting, L, of rawhide, or other suitable material, so asto re-euforce the canvas J and prevent it from being torn or burst by a weight applied to it. With this construction, when the apparatus has been drawn to the side of a burning building from which all the people did not succeed in getting out before the egress-passages became impassible, the people desiring to escape jump successively upon the covering of thei'rame Gr. As each person alights upon the covering of the frame G and'forces the said frame downward, the several sets of springs are put under tension successively, so that thedownward movementof theframe will be stopped before the said frame encounters a rigid resistance, and the person will be saved from a shock.

The person using the escape is kept from being thrown off and injured by the rebound of the springs I by the ratchet-bars M and pawls N, which detain the frame G at itslowest point of descent. The ends ot'the ratchet-bars M are attached to the bars E and to the end bars of the frame 0, or to metal blocks 0, attached to the said bars. The bars Mare madesquare, and the ratchet-teeth are formed upon their inner sides. The pawls Nslide in openings in t-he' inner sides of the metal blocks 1?, attached to the end bars of the frame G, and are held against the ratchet-bars M by springs Q, attached to the inner sides of the said end bars of the frame G, and which rest against the inner ends of the said pawls N.

In a slot or notch in each of the pawls N rests an arm, 1%, the outer end of which rests in a slot in the metal block P, and has a square hole formed through it to receive and slide upon the square bar S. The bar S has round tenons formed upon its ends, which work in sockets in the metal blocks 0.

To the bars S are rigidly attached arms or levers T, which are connected by a rod, U, so that the two bars S will always turn together. WVith this construction the pawls N can be withdrawn to allow the frame G to be raised by the springs I, ready to be again used by turning the bars S by means of either of the levers 'I.

Handles V can be attached to the rear end of the frame 0 for convenience in guiding and adjusting the apparatus.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. A fire-escape constructed substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of the truck A, the base-frame O, the rods D, the top cross-bars, E, the top frame, Gr, having flexible cover J, the sliding side bars, H, the netting L, the springs I, the ratchet-bars and pawls M N, the springs Q, arms R, and bars S, and the levers T and connecting-rod U, as SE13 forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the truck A, the base-frame G, upright rods D, and cross-bars E, of the frame Gr, having flexible cover J and sliding bearings F, the sliding side bars, H, and the interposed springs I, substantially as herein shown and described,

whereby a person can jump upon the covered top frame from a height without being injured, as set forth.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the base-frame O and the sliding top frame, G, of the rack-bars M, the pawls N, and the springs Q, substantiallyas herein shown and described, whereby the top frame, when forced down by the weight of a person jumping upon it, will be held from rebounding, as set forth.

4:. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the spring'pressed pawls N and the ratchet-bars M, of the arms It, the bars S, the levers T, and the connecting-rod U, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the pawls can be readily withdrawn to allow the top frame to be forced up by the springs, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the frame G, of the cross-bars H, the springs I, the canvas J, and the netting L, whereby those obliged to jump from a burning house may be received on something which will yield to the shock or striking force, as described.

JARVIS l9. DAVIS.

IVitnesses:

WILLIS SKIFF, JACOB BLoon. 

